Survive to ‘25 Reading List
I’ve been holding on to these articles for way too long. Cut and pasting from one browser tab to my Google doc tab over and over again since the start of January, hesitant to send them out to you as suggested reading due to the bleak picture of the business they present.
“Survive to ‘25” they keep saying.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling paralyzed. Stuck in a moment of time where I’m not sure how to proceed. The hustle I’ve been doing since the beginning of my career (starting in 2001) feels futile. The path to getting an independent movie made has all but disappeared. If you’re not tied to a big director, A List actors, or valuable IP (that no indie producer can afford to compete for), your project is perceived to have no value. There are only a handful of companies financing [in the words of Ted Hope] “ambitiously authored” indie films with budgets that allow you to pay people properly and we’re all vying for their attention sounding like Meredith Grey, “Pick me, choose me, love me.”
“Survive to ‘25” they keep saying.
But I don’t want to just survive, I want to thrive. And I don’t want to sit around until next year in the hopes that those in the C-Suites who have destroyed the business are going to figure out how to put it back together again. If the new Apple iPad commercial taught us anything, it’s that those in power will continue to “Trash-Compact Human Culture” in exchange for higher stock prices.
As I watched March Madness and cheered on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and all the other women who dazzled audiences, I couldn’t help but yearn for that same kind of love to be bestowed upon artists. During the games, the NCAA launched a “Change” campaign highlighting the initiatives the NCAA is taking to improve the benefits available to student-athletes including guaranteed scholarships and tutoring support, access to post-eligibility insurance to cover injuries that occur while playing for their school, mandated increased support for student-athletes’ physical, mental and academic well-being and Mental Health Best Practices that all members will be required to follow. Wouldn’t it have been amazing if instead of spending millions on a soul crushing commercial, Apple had launched an initiative like this to support artists or funded orgs already doing this work? Is what filmmakers contribute to the world not as dazzling? It is to me.
The articles I’ve selected below show more industry contraction (while Netflix continues to grow), streamers bundling together, film festivals moving, closing, and striking, the never-ending debate over whether or not American documentary film is dying, the launch of another producers collective, arthouse theaters closing, AI advancements, industry unemployment spiking, the death of physical media, and producer profiles on both Christine Vachon, who I had the privilege of interning for during post production on BOYS DON’T CRY, and another on Lynda Obst who taught me how to work with writers when I was her VP of Development in the mid 2000s.
While most of these headlines can be daunting (there are a few bright spots in the list), I decided it was best to share them. When I teach aspiring and emerging filmmakers, I tell them, ‘you can’t circumvent the system if you first don’t know how it operates.’ These articles aren’t meant to discourage you, they are meant to give you the big picture of the business so you can navigate your own path up and around all the nonsense.
While I feel stuck, I also love producing. And while I spend my days worrying about my bank account and lack of a robust retirement fund at age 45, I also ruminate on how to buck the system in order to keep pushing through meaningful and lasting stories. And I do my part to support the next generation of filmmakers to ensure that they can’t ever be crushed by corporate structures. If we all do this, we will survive long past ‘25.
Keep Going,
Rebecca
Hugh Jackman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sydney Sweeney & Kristen Stewart Among Talent Headlining Slew Of Cannes Packages: Will U.S. Buyers Go Big? – Market Preview + Hot List
“After a busy EFM, once again it feels like a healthy market in terms of product. The early responses from the sellers and indie buyers has been good. Those international distributors have re-stabilised their business somewhat, more so than the streamers. We’ll know more in a week but at the moment there are plenty of decently priced projects with meaningful actors, directors and scripts, and there is a good spread of projects.”
Deadline Hollywood by Andreas Wiseman, Zac Ntim 05/14/24
Comcast to Launch Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ Bundle at a ‘Vastly Reduced Price’
“Get ready for the next cable-like streaming bundle: Comcast later this month will launch a three-way bundle — with Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ — offered at a deep discount, Comcast chief Brian Roberts said. Dubbed StreamSaver, the bundle will be available to all Comcast broadband and TV customers, Roberts said, speaking Tuesday at MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet and Communications Conference in New York.”
Variety by Todd Spangler 05/14/24
CAA Inks Deal With AI Company Veritone To Store Talent’s Digital Assets
“In a sign of the times, Creative Artists Agency has inked a deal with an artificial intelligence company to store clients’ digital assets. CAA and Veritone announced their partnership on Tuesday, leading to the creation of the “CAAVault” — a synthetic media vault that will store all intellectual property related to all CAA talent’s name, image and likeness. This includes digital scans and voice recordings.”
Deadline Hollywood by Katie Campione 05/14/24
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery to Launch Disney+, Hulu, Max Streaming Bundle
“Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery — ordinarily rivals for consumers’ time and money — are teaming up for a triple-play bundle of Disney+, Hulu and Max. The companies announced a new streaming bundle comprising Disney+, Hulu and Max will be available this summer in the U.S. There’s no pricing info or specific launch date at this point. Disney and WBD said the bundle will be available for purchase on any of the three streaming platforms’ websites and offered as both an ad-supported and ad-free plan.”
Variety by Todd Spangler 05/08/24
Art Directors Guild Suspends Training Program: ‘We Cannot in Good Conscience Encourage You to Pursue Our Profession’
“Art Directors Guild is suspending its Production Design Initiative program, designed to give hands-on training and job placement opportunities to those seeking a career in the field, according to an email sent to prospective applicants and acquired by IndieWire. In the email, ADG cited its membership’s 75 percent unemployment as the reason.”
IndieWire by Christian Baluvelt, Chris O’Falt 05/08/24
Independent TV Pilots Are Having A Moment
“Can television have its own New Hollywood moment? Much like movies such as Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, Rosemary’s Baby and Easy Rider took the late 1960s by storm, a group of writers and directors are hoping that their own independent TV projects can break through and find their way to the small screen amidst the current Hollywood contraction.”
Deadline Hollywood Peter White 05/08/24
Cannes Film Festival Workers Going Ahead With Strike Action Over Pay Dispute
“After days of tense discussions, the potential strike action from Cannes Film Festival workers that we first reported last week is moving ahead. The group, known as the Collectif des précaires des festivals de cinéma (which translates to The Collective of Precarious Workers at Film Festivals), confirmed their plans this morning with an open letter sent to Deadline.”
Deadline Hollywood by Zac Ntim 05/06/24
Distribution Advocates to Launch a $200,000 Distribution Grant in August
“The Marketing Innovations Fund launches in August and will provide grants between $5,000 and $50,000. That money will go to independent distributors working with film teams to supercharge audience growth for a wide range of docus. The grants are aimed at encouraging experimentation and innovation in reaching ticket buyers. The number of releases supported each year will vary and depend on applications. This year Fund money will help between four and 15 releases.”
Variety by Adie Morfoot 05/04/24
The New York Times Downshifting on Documentary Production
“As contractions and cost-cutting continue to hit the nonfiction space, a major producer is changing its documentary strategy: The New York Times. The Times is restructuring its documentary unit, which is behind its The New York Times Presents series, which has produced nearly four dozen documentaries, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. It is changing the unit with the goal of further enmeshing non-fiction video filmmaking into the company’s existing sub brands and verticals.”
The Hollywood Reporter by Mia Galuppo, Katie Kilkenny 05/03/24
Sundance Weighs Interest From Atlanta, S.F., Santa Fe & More Over Potential 2027 Move; Park City & SLC Offer Joint Effort To Keep Festival
“Like an applause filled debut at Park City’s Eccles Theatre, the Sundance Film Festival’s potential move in 2027 to a new location is attracting a lot of big bidders, as well as a significant swing from the hometown crowd. San Francisco, Minneapolis, Santa Fe, and Atlanta, the home of Hollywood South, are among the jurisdictions that have notified SFF organizers they are raising their paddles for a chance to have the festival based in their town.”
Deadline Hollywood by Dominic Patten 05/02/24
Shorenstein Center’s Documentary Initiative Launches Doc Distro Lit Review
“We are pleased to announce that the Shorenstein Center’s Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative has launched its Documentary Distribution Literature Review, a curated, annotated compilation of articles, podcasts, and talks that provide insight into the current state of the greatly changing documentary film industry. This project was born from a convening organized by the Shorenstein Center’s Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative, Points North Institute, International Documentary Association, Doc Society, and Sub-Genre for the 2023 Camden International Film Festival.”
Shorenstein Center 05/02/24
The Life and Death of Hollywood
“Thanks to decades of deregulation and a gush of speculative cash that first hit the industry in the late Aughts, while prestige TV was climbing the rungs of the culture, massive entertainment and media corporations had been swallowing what few smaller companies remained, and financial firms had been infiltrating the business, moving to reduce risk and maximize efficiency at all costs, exhausting writers in evermore unstable conditions.”
Harper’s Magazine by by Daniel Bessner 05/2
Slamdance Leaves Park City for Los Angeles
“Weeks after the Sundance Film Festival announced that is was opening up exploratory conversations about leaving its longtime home of Park City, the Slamdance Film Festival has announced that its 2025 fest will not be taking place in the Utah resort town. Next year’s Slamdance — the more indie cousin of Sundance — will take place in Los Angeles, from Feb. 20 to 26.”
The Hollywood Reporter by Mia Galuppo 04/30/24
Introducing The ‘Way Upfronts’: Producer Michael Sugar And A Roster Of Hollywood Talent Set Out To Engage Brands In A New Marketplace
“Billed as The Way Upfronts, the series of virtual presentations slated for May 7 and 8 is a hybrid of the annual springtime spectacles of ad-supported television and the supercharged energy of a festival marketplace. Plans call for making them quarterly, in-person events, with next month’s launch edition meant to increase visibility at a time when talent will already be making the rounds and fully emerging from a strike-impaired 2023.”
Deadline Hollywood by Dade Hayes 04/25/24
‘The Blair Witch Project’ Stars Share Public Proposal To Lionsgate Asking For Retroactive Residuals & Consultation On Future Projects
“The stars of The Blair Witch Project are banding together and sharing a public proposal to Lionsgate after the studio partnered with Blumhouse for a reboot. Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams shared a statement asking for retroactive and future residual payments, want “meaningful consultation” on any future Blair Witch projects and also want the studio to start a grant for aspiring filmmakers.”
Deadline Hollywood by Armando Tinoco 04/20/24
Target Confirms it’s All but Completely Ditching DVDs in Physical Stores
“Target is scaling back the presence of physical media in its stores. A spokesperson for Target tells IGN that the company is “transitioning the limited assortment of DVDs” it sells in stores to its website.”
The Verge by Emma Roth 04/19/24
Netflix Adds 9.33 Million Subscribers in Q1, Blowing Past Estimates to Reach Nearly 270 Million Total
“Netflix reported its first-quarter 2024 earnings Thursday, revealing it added a whopping 9.33 million paid subscribers. Analysts consensus estimates were for Netflix to add 3.93 million paid subs globally in Q1 (to reach 264.21 million), according to StreetAccount. Per Netflix, it has now climbed to 269.60 million subs as of March 31.”
Variety by Jennifer Maas 04/18/24
Producers United Is Launched By 86 Top Film & TV “Career Producers” To Change Fee Structure, Get Health Benefits & Stop Gradual Ecosystem Erosion
“As signatories prepare to negotiate new deals with IATSE and Teamsters, it might seem like the last thing the town wants to chew on is another group claiming it has gotten the short end of the stick. The 86 members of Producers United – a grassroots collection of the most prolific “Career Producers” who make about 90% of Hollywood’s biggest independent and studio/streamer films – will test those waters on behalf of all producers who don’t have it as good as most might have believed.”
Deadline Hollywood by Mike Flemming 04/16/24
Participant Shutting Down Operations After 20 Years: Film Studio Was Behind Oscar Winners ‘Spotlight,’ ‘Green Book’
“Participant, the 20-year-old film and television production company whose mission was to inspire social justice and humanitarian action, is shutting down.”
Variety by Matt Donnelly 04/16/24
Showtime Streaming Service Is Shutting Down at the End of April
“After nearly nine years, Showtime‘s streaming apps are fading to black. The Showtime standalone service will be shut down on April 30, according to notices sent to subscribers. The end of Showtime’s streaming apps comes just less than a year after parent company Paramount Global integrated Showtime’s programming into the top-tier Paramount+ plan.”
Variety by Todd Spangler 04/11/24
Tribeca Sets First European Edition With Speakers Including Patty Jenkins & Whoopi Goldberg
“For the first time, the festival will host a European edition, set to take place in Lisbon, Portugal, October 17-19. The event will consist of an opening night followed by a two-day event on Lisbon’s waterfront. Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins, EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg, and Oscar-nominated actor Griffin Dunne have signed on as early headline speakers.”
Deadline Hollywood by Zac Ntim 04/11/24
Documentary Filmmakers Lament Hollywood Cutbacks and Deal Scarcity: ‘Our Ecosystem Is in the Midst of a Collapse’
“April 5 at the Full Frame Film Festival, Amir Bar-Lev (“Long Strange Trip”) led a panel discussion titled “Documentary Dealmaking” exploring how doc filmmakers can earn fair wages during a time when the money available to 99% of docu filmmakers for budgets and licensing fees isn’t close to high.”
Variety by Adie Morfoot 04/05/24
U.S. Economy Added 303,000 Jobs In March; Losses Seen In Entertainment Employment
“Despite the robust picture overall, jobs in movies and sound recording fell by 2,600 positions, to 438,400. Jobs in broadcasting and among content providers fell by 2,300, to 341,500. Jobs in publishing increased by 4,500, to 931,500.”
Deadline Hollywood by Ted Johnson 04/05/24
Netflix Enters Its Dan Lin Era
“As Lin starts his new post running the industry’s most monied film division, plenty of questions linger, including if the veteran executive will finally execute the streamer’s much talked-about “fewer and better” filmmaking strategy.”
The Hollywood Reporter by Mia Galuppo, Borys Kit 04/01/24
Inside Sundance CEO Joana Vicente’s Startling Departure
“Scandal at a film festival is usually generated by provocative auteurs or loose-lipped actors stirring up drama at press conferences. Last weekend’s laid-back Sonoma International Film Festival, held in the heart of California wine country, was a different story.”
Variety by By Matt Donnelly 04/01/24
Cinereach Pivots To Media Incubator Under New CEO Jennifer Strachan; Company Will Now Focus On Narrative Research And Strategy Development
“Cinereach has announced a new direction for the organization under the leadership of new CEO Jennifer Strachan. Cinereach will primarily operate as a media incubator focused on narrative research and strategy development, with the goal of advancing stories that spark greater curiosity, understanding, empathy, and agency. Cinereach’s production work will also expand beyond film, to new and emerging media platforms.”
Deadline Hollywood by Valerie Complex 04/03/24
“I’m Scared”: Why It’s a Brutal Time to Be a TV Writer
“The end of Peak TV has ushered in an era of contraction, with fewer buyers (farewell, The CW) and fierce competition for the few shows that are staffing: “People are in total survival mode.””
The Hollywood Reporter by Lesley Goldberg 04/02/24
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Circuit Is Up For Sale
“Several sources tell Deadline that the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema circuit is up for sale. The news comes about a week and a half before CinemaCon, the major studios and exhibitors’ annual love-in in Las Vegas. I’m told that some studios have heard the sales pitch for the cinephile circuit, which counts 41 locations across 13 states. No bidders as of yet.”
Deadline Hollywood by By Anthony D’Alessandro 03/28/24
New Sundance Institute X Chicago Event Sets Summer Dates
“The Sundance Institute is partnering with Choose Chicago and the Chicago Film Office on Sundance Institute x Chicago, a new event to kick off in the Windy City this summer. Viewed as an opportunity to highlight Chicago’s cultural scene and bolster its status as a filmmaking hub, while sharing information from the Institute’s artist development programs with emerging artists, the event is set to take place June 28 – 30.”
Deadline Hollywood by Matt Grobar 03/26/24
Hot Docs Programmers Resign En Masse
“Ten members of Hot Docs programming team have resigned. Among them are veteran international programmers Myrocia Watamaniuk and Angie Driscoll, who had been with the festival for over 20 years.”
POV Magazine by Pat Mullen 03/25/24
Judd Apatow on Why It’s “Scary” Netflix Can License HBO Shows: “Cheaper Than Making New Ones”
“Judd Apatow is opening up about the current state of television and why he finds it “scary” that Netflix can license shows from HBO. The writer-director-producer told Vulture in a recent interview that licensing pacts between streaming giants is just going to lead to viewers getting “fewer new shows.””
The Hollywood Reporter by Carly Thomas 03/22/24
Historic Paris UGC Normandie Cinema & Cannes Press Conference Venue Faces Closure As Theaters Quit Champs-Élysées Avenue
“Fears are growing for the future of Paris’s historic 87-year-old UGC Normandie cinema on the French capital’s Champs-Élysées Avenue following reports it will close this June due to a combination of high rent and decline in business. With a 862-seat capacity and 16-meter screen, the four-screen venue’s biggest theatre, the Grand Normandie, is Paris’ second biggest cinema theater after the Grand Rex.”
Deadline Hollywood by Melanie Goodfellow 03/22/24
What Could Happen If Paramount Global Is Sold — Especially in Pieces
“Let’s consider what Paramount Global comprises — and the potential effect of selling it off in its entirety or in pieces. As it stands, Paramount Global, led by CEO Bob Bakish, is made up of three segments: filmed entertainment, TV media and direct-to-consumer streaming.”
Variety by Jennifer Maas 03/22/24
Tennessee Governor Signs ELVIS Act To Bolster AI Protections For Artists’ Voices And Likenesses
“The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act, expands on the state’s right of publicity law. The new law expands the unauthorized uses of a person’s image and likeness to include not just name, photograph, or likeness, but the use of a person’s voice.”
Deadline Hollywood by Ted Johnson 03/21/24
Two-Thirds of U.S. Adults Would Rather Wait to Watch Movies on Streaming
“A new poll by HarrisX, exclusive to IndieWire, found that 34 percent of U.S. adults prefer to watch movies in theaters, which means a solid two-thirds would rather wait for them to be released on streaming.”
IndieWire by Tony Maglio 03/14/24
“It’s a Silent Fire”: Decaying Digital Movie and TV Show Files Are a Hollywood Crisis
“Industry pros sweat the possibility that many digital files will eventually become unusable — an archival tragedy reminiscent of the celluloid era.”
The Hollywood Reporter by Gary Baum, Carolyn Giardina 03/15/24
LA Movie Lovers Mourn The Loss Of The Highland Theatre (And Hope For Its Return)
“The historic 100-year-old Highland Theatre in Highland Park closed its doors late last month. Many Angelenos are mourning the loss, but still holding out hope for a reopening. This three-screen theater was one of very few movie theaters in northeast L.A., on a street that’s been gentrifying for years. Tickets used to be $10 or less, and you could regularly catch a movie for only $6 on a Tuesday or Wednesday.”
LA List by Victoria Alejandro 03/14/24
Human Rights Watch to End Its Celebrated Film Festival
“Human Rights Watch announced today that it would be closing its long-running film festival. Founded in 1988, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival showcased nearly 1,000 independent films, was presented in over 30 cities across the globe, and is the world’s longest running human rights film festival.”
hrw.org 03/13/14
2 Key Sundance Theaters in Park City Filed for Bankruptcy
“Metropolitan Theatres Corporation, which operates Sundance venues Redstone 8 and Holiday Village Cinemas 4, filed for Chapter 11 late last month.”
IndieWire by Brian Welk and Dana Harris-Birdon 03/13/24
Half of Streaming Users Don’t Know Which Service Their Favorite Show Is On
“A new study by hub Entertainment Research has found that about half of streaming users do not know which service has popular franchise shows — and licensing is to blame.”
IndieWire by Tony Maglio 3/13/24
“There’s Less Money Everywhere”: Producers Talk Growing Need To Bridge Asia’s Market-Driven Industry With European Subsidy System – Filmart
“The fact that both Asia and Europe are finding it more difficult to finance movies following the pandemic may drive the two regions to start working together more closely, despite the huge differences in their funding systems, said a group of leading producers on a two-session Filmart panel.”
Deadline Hollywood by Liz Shackleton 03/13/24
How Documentary Went Off the Rails
“Streamers were once smitten with small stories. Then came celebs, sports stars and true crime. But at Sundance, glimmers that a tiny gold rush could be back.”
The Ankler by Peter Keifer 02/08/24
Hollywood Contraction: How Fewer Jobs & The Threat Of Another Strike Is Pushing BTL Workers To The Brink
“The Unity Rally on Sunday that was meant to fire up crew members before IATSE and Teamsters Local 399 begin negotiations with Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers served two important goals: it reminded below-the-line workers that union leaders will be dogged in their fight for better benefits and pension for members, and made it clear they’ll be ready to “shut it down, f*cking day one” if the talks don’t go their way.”
Deadline Hollywood Lynette Rice 03/05/24
“I’m Bloody Tired of Hiding”: Lynda Obst on Her Trailblazing Career and Devastating Diagnosis
“Six years after a life-altering health crisis, the megaproducer (and onetime “devoted pothead”) talks ‘Barbie’ snubgate and why she’s suddenly lost her filter: “I kind of don’t give a shit what people think of me.””
The Hollywood Reporter by Chris Gardner 02/29/24
‘Past Lives’ Producer Christine Vachon Tells Us How She Built an Indie Film Empire
“With Killer Films’ first Best Picture Oscar nomination for “Past Lives,” Vachon is riding high.”
IndieWire by Anne Thompson 02/26/24
Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Join Forces for Sports Streaming Service
“The service will offer streaming subscribers all the channels owned by those companies that show sports, like ESPN, TNT and FS1, but also ABC and Fox. In addition to sports content, subscribers will be able to watch nonsports shows like “The Simpsons” and “The Bachelor” that are available on the channels. Subscribers will have access to 14 channels in total, as well as ESPN’s existing streaming service, ESPN+.”
The New York Times by Benjamin Mullin and Kevin Draper 02/26/23
Jason Reitman Enlists Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Bradley Cooper and More to Buy Westwood’s Village Theater
“Westwood’s historic Village Theater is now owned by a coalition of 35 filmmakers led by Jason Reitman, the group announced Wednesday. The group’s mission “is to preserve the architectural gem and create a cultural landmark dedicated to the beloved experience of moviegoing,” per a release. The theater, situated at 945 Broxton Ave., is “known for its soaring tower, neon marquee and one of the largest screens in Los Angeles.” First opened in 1931, it is 93 years old.”
The Hollywood Reporter by Zoe G. Phillips 02/21/24
Walmart Acquires Smart TV Firm Vizio For $2.3B, Altering Streaming Ad Landscape
“Retail giant Walmart is acquiring smart TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion in a deal that will alter the streaming advertising landscape. While Vizio is a leading manufacturer of televisions, rivaling Samsung for supremacy in North America, Walmart is not mainly interested in its hardware business, however. Instead, it has coveted Vizio’s SmartCast Operating System, which has 18 million active accounts to be targeted by advertisers.”
Deadline Hollywood by Dade Hayes 02/20/24
New LGBTQ Movie Distribution Label Pride Pictures Launches
“Avi Federgreen is launching a new LGBTQ2S+ movie distribution label, Pride Pictures, for North America at the European Film Market in Berlin. The queer cinema releasing outfit, with Kirk Cooper hired as head of acquisitions, will kick off with two titles – Inari Niemi’s Light Light Light from Finland and Dylan Rhys Howard’s Canadian indie Eudaimonia.”
The Hollywood Reporter by Ethan Vlessing 02/14/24
As Cinemas Close, America Watches Its Moviegoing Deserts Grow
“New theaters are still being built, but they’re unlikely to affect the increasing number of population centers without nearby multiplexes.”
IndieWire by Tom Brueggemann 02/12/24
‘Triangle Of Sadness’ Producer Says British Indie Film Industry Is “On Its Knees” Due To Hollywood Prices
“The British producer of Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness has sounded the alarm on the state of the UK’s independent film industry. This comes as the UK enjoys a boom due to respected British craft skills and tax incentives.”
Deadline Hollywood by Caroline Frost 02/10/24
Sundance 2024 Sales
“Over 60 films came into this year’s Sundance Film Festival looking for buyers, but many of the key players on the indie film market already had movies premiering in the festival, with many of those among the most commercial and star-studded movies making their debuts. We’re tracking everything that already has a home and will update this space throughout the month with every sale that comes in.”
IndieWire by Brian Welk 02/09/23
Doc World Is Reeling From Oscar Nominations and What They Might Mean for the Struggling Sector: ‘There Is This Resentment Towards Certain Kinds of Success’
“More than a week after this year’s Oscar nominees were unveiled, the documentary world is still reeling from this year’s selections and trying to figure out what they might mean for the struggling sector. Notably, all filmmakers were international and the majority lacked distribution by major streamers; presumed favorites backed by Netflix, Apple TV+ and Max all failed to score a slot on the final Oscar ballot.”
Variety by Addie Morfoot 02/03/24
Everyone’s a Sellout Now
“When Rachael Kay Albers was shopping around her book proposal, the editors at a Big Five publishing house loved the idea. The problem came from the marketing department, which had an issue: She didn’t have a big enough following.”
Vox by Rebecca Jennings 02/01/24
2024 Sundance Questionnaire: First-Time Producer Responses
“This year, Filmmaker sent all first-time Sundance feature film producers a questionnaire to complete ahead of their film’s festival screening. We also sent out a single question for feature directors to answer as well as questionnaires for editors and cinematographers.”
Filmmaker Magazine by Filmmaker Staff and Sundance producers 01/28/24
Tribeca Enterprises, Giant Pictures Launch Digital Distribution Label For Festival Fare
“Tribeca Enterprises and Giant Pictures are launching Tribeca Films, a distribution label the partners said aims to support high-quality independent films from the festival circuit. The label is focused on U.S. transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) and advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) with the opportunity for distribution across Giant Pictures’ streaming infrastructure, as well as on the Tribeca Channel.”
Deadline Hollywood by Jill Goldsmith 01/24/24
Sundance Created a Market for Indie Films. Moviemakers Say It’s No Longer Working
“The number of hit indie movies is in decline. Some blame the Sundance Film Festival, but the problems run much deeper.”
Bloomberg by Lucas Shaw 01/21/24
Sundance Keynote Celebrates Collaboration: ‘We Are Independent Filmmakers, but We Do Not Make Things Independently’
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” producer Jonathan Wang was honored on Sunday. Read his keynote address here.
IndieWire By Christian Zilko 01/21/24
Major Studios’ Pledges to Hire More Female Filmmakers and People of Color Were ‘Performative,’ Study Finds
“Despite the box office success of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Elizabeth Banks’ “Cocaine Bear,” female directors are not getting the same opportunities in Hollywood as their male counterparts. At the same time, major studios, which pledged to reexamine their employment practices in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, fail to produce many films from people of color.”
Brent Lang, Variety 1/2/23